Back in School and Loving it?

Well that time has rolled around. I am back to school and as much enthusiasm as I had before school started, I may not have retained it all just yet. I am finishing out my first week tonight, and so far I see homework being an issue possibly this semester. I kinda let it get out of hand last spring and had a bad habit of waiting till right before things were due to work on them and that usually took up alot of weekends. I would come home and say "I just don't feel like doing homework, I wanna relax and unwind". The one thing I did do correctly I think is I always worked on my online class on the same day each week. I had gotten in trouble by forgetting to do a quiz or turn in an assignment in online classes before and I thought a little bit of organization would be the trick. I was right. This year I have downloaded Mozilla Sunbird on my laptop as my calendar with reminders and it is already showing it's helpfulness by keeping the next 14 days tasks in a spot at the top of the calendar. I now know that by Monday I have to take a quiz and submit an assignment in my online class.

Katherine has been great this week. I pampered her some the last month before school and kep the house picked up and not looking bad in anticipation of her having to do the housework. Not only has she picked the housework back up, but she is mowing too now! I hate to have her do it, but she does it when I ain't home so I can't protest.

One of the things I am grateful for this semester is there are no midday classes that will cut my hours down and likewise, keep me from getting my work done. It seemed I had an endless to do list all last semester and that shouldn't be the case. Not to mention this semester will be one where I can get 40 hours a week, instead of 32!!

What I love about September

Let me start this off by saying I am a summer kind of guy. Love the warm weather and the sweat that is produced while working and having fun just the same. However around this time each year, I look forward to September and the cooler temps it will bring. One of my favorite memories is a September day in which a cold front came upon us and having not watched the weather, it was wholly unexpected to myself and John Vancuren Sr. and Jr. I remember we were visiting out in the street in from of John Jr.'s house and all the sudden the temperature dropped like 15-20 degrees! It was so nice and we all just sat there not saying a word and smiling. It was just a feeling of refreshment. I had no idea that at that time, John Sr. was not to be with us much longer, so that adds to the specialness of that moment. So now each year when old man weather brings us a cool front in late summer/early fall, I just kinda stop and take it in and give myself five minutes to enjoy both the joy of autumn's arrival and the memory of one of the few people I ever truly loved, John VanCuren Sr. RIP.

Lottery Dreams

On occasions, my wife Katherine and I will go buy a Powerball ticket and hope for a big win. One of my favorite things to do is to day dream about what I would do with the money if we did win it. I don't mean like buy this and go there kind of stuff ( I would buy alot of cars and go to Europe for at least a month). But what good could I do with that money. The old addage is that to whom much is given, much is expected. I agree. My very first time out thinking about what I would like to do, it was only centered on helping animals and kids by donating to traditional charities. But one day, I thought of this idea that would mean so much to me if I were able to do it. I would love to be able to, by some process unbeknownst to me as yet, sponsor both a single mom who is really trying to make something of her life for her kids, but is having a rough time of working full time and going to school, and a guy that is like me, trying to raise a family and make a better life for them by working full time and then going to school at night. My thinking is I would choose the two beneficiaries, then agree to either put them in a nice house if they are not currently in a good living situation, or agree to take make their house payments for the time they are in school. Additionally, they would get a brand new car to drive with insurance paid for, and a monthly stipend of $2000.00. In return, the beneficiaries are required to maintain a full time schedule, a 3.0 grade point average, and remain out of legal trouble. Upon their graduation from school, they will be given both their house and car to keep as their own, and the monthly stipend will continue for one year after graduation or until they are gainfully employed. I think that would be awesome and kinda feed my need to further education in our area. Nice dream, maybe one day I can make it happen.

The worst feeling ever!

So I got caught in a situation today I hope I NEVER have to deal with again. When I came home today, my wife was crying violently because of the pain in her tooth. I have never seen anyone cry that hard before and it left me so upset and sad that I couldn't fix my wife's pain and make it all better. I drove her to the ER and the whole way I couldn't think but i have failed her by not having a good job and insurance so she would be able to go to the dentist before it got this far. My wife was sobbing like crazy cause I can't provide for her. I know it will be a different tune when I get done with law school, but how many more times is my impotency going to rear its head and make me feel like a tool? I need to do some serious thinking.

Who woulda thunk it?

I am up on a Saturday morning after a guys night out. A little baseball and Taco Bell and my crappy week has ended nicely! I am a little weirded out about something though. I want to caveat this next statement by saying I love my Kathy and Lauren very much, but sometimes I just want to sit and do nothing and be all by myself. In theory, it sounds sublime. In practice, it does not work as well. I had the house to myself when I got home last night and it was a little weird. I also am alone today. The girls are at a Girl Scout lock in for their troop and won't be home for a bit. I have to admit, I have gotten quite used to having them around and now I will probably not wish so hard for time alone. Never saw that coming!

On a more positive note, I had the best time at the Naturals game last night! Jason and my string of undefeated at Arvest Ball Park is now broken, but it was still a great game. I had never had seats right on the field in any game before, and that was awesome! We also saw a Kansas City Royals coach there! I don't know why he was there, but it was cool!

I am gonna try to go to Mom's this morning and get a little one on one with her. We don't see each other as much as we should since we live so close together. I am gonna try to start remedying that though. Lord, help me find time for all I NEED to do!